Xylazine was already classified as an “emerging threat” in the US, and experts say the public health risk has spread to the UK.
Powerful animal tranquilizers plaguing US cities are “infiltrating” Britain’s illegal drug market, a report has warned.
Xylazine – often referred to as “Tranq” or the “zombie drug” because of its effects on users – is already labeled as a hazardous substance. White House: “New Threats to the Nation”.
A post-mortem examination of Carl Warburton linked the drug to a British death for the first time. He was found dead at his home in Solihull in May 2022.
In most cases, tranquilizers are mixed or “cut” with powerful opioids such as heroin and fentanyl by dealers with the goal of lowering costs and increasing demand.
He previously told Sky News that users often develop dermatitis or infections at the injection site and that the mixture can be addictive.
Last year, as the number of deaths from xylazine rose, the White House announced a six-point plan to tackle the problem.
Researchers led by academics from King’s College London said the health threat “now extends to the UK”.
Their study, published in the journal Addiction, looked at a variety of toxicology, drug testing, and drug seizure sources.
Although usually mixed with illegal drugs, xylazine was also found in counterfeit prescription drug pills, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) e-cigarettes, and cocaine.
Researchers had discovered 35 cases of xylazine in England, Scotland and Wales by the end of August last year. No cases were found in Northern Ireland.
They published data on samples from the toxicology laboratory, where the drug was detected in 16 people (including 11 deaths).
Eleven of the samples were from last summer.
They also noted the death of Mr. Warburton, who the coroner said had a history of illegal drug use.
read more:
How the alarming rise in Tranq-related deaths changed White House action
An autopsy on the 43-year-old man revealed that he had heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and xylazine in his system.
The Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine report said he “likely purchased the heroin, but was unaware that the heroin was laced with xylazine and fentanyl.”
Lead author Dr Caroline Copeland, from King’s College London, said: ‘We now know that xylazine is penetrating the UK illicit drug market.
“This is worrying because it exposes a much wider range of people who use drugs than just heroin users to harm.
“We also know that most people who buy heroin do not intend to buy xylazine, and this combination increases the risk of overdose.
“Xylazine has been designated as an ’emerging threat’ to the US and this public health threat is of increasing concern to the UK.”
Read more from Sky News:
Drug dealer disguises marijuana as Wonka chocolate bar
Dealer arrested for trying to smuggle cocaine by hiding it inside a table
Dr Copeland called on the government to introduce “simple” measures to prevent the spread of xylazine, including the use of test strips and making health workers aware of the signs of xylazine use.
He also said pathologists and medical examiners should request xylazine toxicity testing in relevant cases to understand the true prevalence of xylazine.
Despite the research findings, Mandrake, based in Manchester and the UK’s first publicly funded city center testing and harm reduction facility, said that samples from 2022 to early 2024 still showed no evidence of the substance. He said it had not been detected.
A government spokesperson said: “We are aware of the threat posed by xylazine and are determined to protect people from the threat posed by this drug and other illegal synthetic drugs.”
“We will act without hesitation to protect the safety of our people.
“Following advice from the Advisory Committee on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), we intend to make xylazine a Class C drug, meaning anyone who supplies the substance will be jailed for up to 14 years, fined or both. Become.”
